As part of the first Design Biennale Rotterdam (19 February -2 March 2025), one of the most interesting collective projects SHOW NOT SHOW in the iconic Groot Handelsgebouw (architects Hugh Maaskant and Willem van Tijen – 1953). A post-war modernist building (Wederopbouwarchitectuur) that came to symbolise the post-war rebuilding of Rotterdam and one of the largest shopping complexes in the Netherlands at the time. The brutalist halls of the building are perfectly integrated with the work of 6 outstanding designers: Frank Penders, Lucas Zito, Marc Meeuwissen (Dear Objects), Mokko (Aad Bos), Studio Fabius Clovis and Studio Luuk van Laarhoven. The exhibition presents a diverse collection of functional and self-contained objects, each demonstrating a unique perspective on design.
The designers don’t just showcase the finished product, but share their creative process. This exhibition goes beyond simply showing the result: it offers an immersion in the process itself, revealing the dynamic tension between observation and experience. I will talk about my favourites in the collective project.
The brand of designer and artist Marc Meeuwissen is already a favourite with its cute name Dear Objects, in which the author’s attitude towards his creations can be felt. Marc lives and works between Belgium and the Netherlands, in Antwerp and Bergen-op-Zom. After studying at the Academy of Art and Design St. Joost in Breda, the Netherlands, he founded the graphic and three-dimensional design studio No-But. Since 2019 he has been creating functional and autonomous objects in limited series under this brand. SHOW NOT SHOW showcases his ‘Brutalista’ and ‘Make and Break’ series.
In the ‘Brutalista’ series, the designer takes on the role of an artisan, using exclusively a hand saw. The concept of the project is simple and radical: one sheet of material, one saw, one object.
The new ‘Make and Break’ series are sets of objects cut from cement particle board. Each set is first joined together (MAKE) and then separated by hand by breaking (BREAK).
Frank Penders’ installation meets you at the exit of Rotterdam’s spectacular Central Station in Rotterdam and reflects the designer’s style to the full. From a young age, Frank saw the city (he’s from the cheese-making city of Gouda) as a playground – skateboarding, he learnt architecture in motion. His dream of becoming an architect led him to HTS, but working as an engineer behind a computer quickly became boring. That all changed when he discovered a metalworking workshop. Technical thinking, working with his hands and a passion for photography all came together when he enrolled in an art academy. There he learnt not just how to create shapes, but how to tell stories through design. In Frank’s laconic designs you can literally guess the influence of the geometricity of b/w photography and its narratives. Today, Frank works with steel, transforming thin lines and solid planes into strong, timeless stories. I fell in love with the designer’s multifunctional staircases of metamorphosis. His workshop ‘de metaalloods’ is located at GOUDasfalt.
